Shiftable work carriage for a sewing machine



Oct. 6, 1964 w. A. TROLL ETAL SHIFTABLE woax CARRIAGE FOR A SEWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1960 T RS WILLIAWYE rRQnL IRVING MEDOFF CHARLES J. SORREIRO ATTORNEY Oct. 6, 1964 w. A. TROLL ETAL 3,151,583

SHIFTABLE woax CARRIAGE FOR A, sawms MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 v Q; I m 1 I 1 1k 6 W 8 :M u

llllllllllvll 4| L d I 12 i l 0 Ill X 1/2 129 flr' L WILLIAN X IRVING MEDOFF BY CHfiRLES J. SORREIRO WM Mains ATTORNEY w. A. TROLL ETAL Oct. 6, 1964 SHIFTABLE WORK CARRIAGE FOR A SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1960 Oct. 6, 1964 w. A. TROLL ETAL 3,151,583

SHIFTABLE WORK CARRIAGE FOR A SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov] 10, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 L o m fl Y 0: E TDR N 5 m a R M I 0 & EMS o I H I 7. V T 0 E T I lmmm A L @E M 6 Y B 1964 w. A. TROLL ETAL 3,

SHIFTABLE WORK CARRIAGE FOR A SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 R j I WILL I3 IRVING MEDOFF CHARLES J. SDRRE/Rd ATTORNEY Oct. 6, 1964 w. A. TROLL ETAL 3,151,533

SHIFTABLE WORK CARRIAGE FOR A SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS WILLIAM A. TROLL IRVING MEDOFF BYCHRRLES J. SORREIRO ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,151,583 SHIFTABLE WORK CARRIAGE FOR A SEWING mom William A. Troll, Brooklyn, Irving Merloif, Sanford, and Charles J. Sorreiro, Woodside, N.Y., assignors to Ems g l anufacturing Co., New York, N.Y., a partnership Filed Nov. 10, 19%, Ser. No. 63,516 Cim'ms. (Cl, 1122) This invention relates to a device for performing automatically a plurality of spaced stitching operations, and more particularly to a button feeding and sewing device arranged to secure to a garment a plurality of buttons in a desired predetermined spacing.

In the manufacture of garments, such as vests, coats, cardigan sweaters, blouses, or the like, where it is required to apply to such garments a row of a plurality of buttons which may or may not be spaced equidistant from each other, it is usual first to mark the garments before transposing them to the button applying or sewing operation.

In present practice, it is possible to apply buttons and eject the sewn button by using a button feeding and sewing machine, such as shown in the United States patents to Troll, Nos. 2,597,912 and 2,830,549. For example, the operator in such instance manually adjusts the garment to place the desired marking previously made for the point of button application beneath the presser foot of the machine and then actuates the machine to attach the button and eject the sewn button. Orienting and re-orienting, for example, the fly of the garment and properly to position each marked point or" button application is obviously a time consuming task, and it is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a fully automatic button sewing device which avoids the time consuming operation of marking, and to which a garment may be quickly secured and which automatically and sequentially sews buttons to the garment in any desired spaced relation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an automatic gauge and actuator for use in combination with a button sewing machine having novel means permitting quick and accurate attachment of a garment and providing automatic release of the garment after sewing of the last button, preferably included in combination with an automatic button feeder, whereby manual operations of marking, holding, and feeding buttons are eliminated.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a device of the type described which is adjustable to permit any desired spacing of the buttons.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a powerized s idable gauge and jig adapted to hold a garment, to advance the garment by increments to position preselected points of the garment beneath the presser foot of an automatic button sewing machine, to shift the garment from one sewing position to the next, responsive to the cyclical raising and lowering of the presser foot of the sewing machine, and automatically to release the garment after the buttons have been applied.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, we make reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the gauging and feeding device arranged for use in conjunction with a button feeding and sewing attachment in accordance with our invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the gauge and feeder assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the assembly of FIGURE .2;

FIGURE 4 is a magnified vertical section taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a section similar to FEGURE showing the position of the parts in' the lowered condition of the presser foot;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the carriage release assembly;

FlGURE 7 is a perspective preassembly view of the carriage release assembly;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the release assembly at an intermediate stage of operation;

FIGURE 10 is an end elevation of the release assembly taken in the direction of the arrows 1 l1tl of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the release assembly taken in the direction of the arrows 1111 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 8 in the retracting cycle of the carriage;

FIGURE 13 is a magnified view of a garment clamp in the open position thereof;

FTGURE 14 is a schematic diagram of the electropneumatic actuator assembly; and

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged detail of the button locater and ejector under the influence of the presser foot.

In general, the device comprises a button sewing machine converted to be actuated responsive to the engage motor effective to shift the carriage transversely to a first limiting position when the carriage is shifted manually to a second limiting position.

The carriage is provided with work tensioning and holding spaced spring clamps which are cammed in open position when the carriage is in the aforesaid first limiting position, the cams being efiectiye to release the clamps to their normally closed position as the carriage is shifted from the first toward the second limiting position.

The carriage is provided with a plurality of abutments' or stops which may be locked to the carriage at selected spaced positions along the carriage. As the carriage shifts from the second to the first limiting position, the abutrnents are in turn advanced sequentially to a position beneath the presser foot, at which position each abutment engages actuator means which energize the sewing machine, the abutment which trips said means being held against movement during the sewing cycle by a pawl which is shifted into the path of the abutment by the initial movement of the button sewing machine. Thus, spacing of the buttons on the garment is determined by the spacing of the adjustable abutments on the carriage.

The garment may be quickly and accurately positioned in the clamps which are held open in the-first limiting position of the carriage. The clamps are automatically closed as the carriage is shifted away from the first limiting position and reopen when the carriage shifts back to the first position, thereby dropping the garment clear of the machine.

The unit is shown in FIGURE I mounted on a work table or bench 10. A button sewing machine 11 is secured to the bench 10 so that the sewing head assembly 12 is disposed near to and above the front edge 13 of the bench.

The sewing machine and button feeder attachment utilized for preferred operation is made possible by the work ejecting feature of the feeder for feeding shank or sew-through. type buttons and ejecting the sewn bu ttons described in detail in the Troll Patents Nos. 2,597,912, 2,661,709 and 2,830,549, insofar as necessary to illustrate the inter-action therewith of the work positioning and holding and ejecting assembly. A button sewing device, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, functions automatically to introduce buttons deposited in a hopper 14 into chute 15 terminating in a presser foot 16. In the course of a sewing cycle, the presser foot 16, which is controlled by the machine lift bar 16a, descends, clampingly to secure the work against an anvil 17. A button secured in the presser foot and properly oriented with respect to the needle 18, is stitched to the work, the sewing machine being provided with a stop mechanism which interrupts operation of the machine when the stitching is completed. The presser foot of the feeder, while normally raised and lowered by a foot treadle, in the present device is linked for'purposes and in a manner which appears hereinafter, to a powerized lift mechanism arranged to lower and raise the presser foot automatically responsive to the commencement and completion, respectively, of the stitching cycle of the sewing machine.

A carriage assembly 20 is slidably mounted on an extended, horizontally disposed guide bar 21, secured to the bench 10 and preferably adjacent the front 13 thereof. The carriage assembly 20 includes a horizontal base bar 22 which is disposed above the bar 21 and guided to be slidable above said bar 21 by side guide blocks 23 and 23a, which may, if desired, be provided with anti-friction rollers on vertical axes bearing against the side edges of the bar 22. The under surface of bar 22 is recessed at a plurality of spaced points 24 to accommodate anti-friction rollers 25, secured therein in interposition between bars 21 and 22 on horizontal axes of rotation to facilitate sliding movement of bar 22 over base bar 21.

The carriage 20 includes upstanding end blocks 26, 27 secured thereto, end block 26 being provided with a stud 28 non-rotatably secured to said end block and extending horizontally forwardly beyond the edge 13 of the table 10.

A lug 29 is keyed to and depends from stud 28 to a point below the bench or table 10. A spring motor 30 is secured beneath bench or table 10, the said motor including a spring tensioned winch-like drum with a cable 31 extending therefrom. The motor. 30 is of known construction and operates to tension a spring associated with the drum when the cable 31 is manually drawn in a leftward direction as viewed in FIGURE 1. When the withdrawn cable is released, the drum rotates under the influence of. the tensioned spring, and rewinds the cable 31 on the Winch-like drum thereon.

The cable 31, in the illustrated embodiment, is secured to lug 29 and it will be readily understood that when the carriage 20 is shifted to the left, as seen in FIGURE 1, the drum of motor 30 is wound, and that when the carriage is released, the cable is reeled onto the drum,

causing the carriage to return to the right hand position thereof.

A gauge bar 32 is bolted vor otherwise secured in horizontal disposition between the end blocks 26, 27, that gauge bar being provided with a horizontally disposed slot 33 extending substantially the entire length of the bar. A plurality of stops or abutments 34 adjustably are secured to the gauge bar 32 by means of bolts 35, theheads of which bear against the gauge bar 32 and the shanks of which pass through the slot 33 of said bar and are threaded into the blocks 34. As will be more clearly understood in connection with the following portions of the description, the adjusted position of the stops 34 along the gauge bar 32- determine the position of attachment of buttons on the garment processed,and secure attachment of the blocks on the 4 bers for adjustably mounted right angle brackets 44, 45, respectively. The brackets 42, 43 are provided with vertically disposed slots 46, 47, respectively, with cross bolts 48 extending through the slots 46, 47, and threaded carriagebeing provided by the clamping action of legs 34a, '34b of; said blocks embracing support rod 340. (See FIG. 4.)

To the end blocks 26, 27 are mounted the' spaced garment clamp assemblies 40, 41, respectively. For this purpose, vertical brackets 42, 43 are secured to the blocks 26, 27, said brackets forming the retaining meminto apertures 49 in the brackets 44, 45, thereby serving to provide vertical adjustment of the brackets 44, 45 with respect to brackets 42, 43, respectively.

The clamp 40 is adjustably secured to angle bracket 44 by a bolt 50 which passes through the extended slot 51 in the shank 52 of the clamp. Clamp 41 is similarly adjustably secured to bracket 45 by bolts 53, 53, threaded into the bracket 45 and forcing centering blocks 54, 54 against the shank 55 of clamp 41.

The clamps 40, 41 are provided with flat platen portions 60, 61 at the spaced end portions of the shanks 52, and 55, respectively. The platens 60, 61 are each formed with shallow transverse recessed portions 62, 63, respectively, each of which forms one face or jaw of the clamps. The moving jaws for the clamp assemblies are provided by tooth members 64, 65 (see FIGURE 13) which form the lower limiting portions of clamp levers 66, 67, respectively, said levers being pivotally secured to the shank portions 52,. 55, respectively, on horizontal trunnions 68, 69, respectively.

The tooth portions 64, 65 are normally spring urged downwardly into recessed portions 62, 63, respectively, by butterfly springs 70, 71 which bear against the clamp shanks 52, 55, respectively, and against pins 72, 73 extending respectively from the levers 66 and 67. It will be noted that the tooth 67 is offset transversely from the clamp lever 66 by a link 74. The ends of clamp levers 66, 67 are curved, so as to be substantially horizontally disposed, the said ends being provided with follower rollers 76, 77, respectively, for purposes which will appear hereafter. The platen 61 of clarnp 41 is additionally provided with an adjustable stop 79 which, in the operation of the device, forms the means of locating the garment edge to align the garment with respect to the clamps.

The clamps 40, 41 are arranged to be open when the carriage 20 reaches its initial and final position, and to be closed at every other position of the carriage. To accomplish. this action, a pair of cam blocks 80, 81, having sloped faces 82, 83, respectively, are mounted to engage follower rollers 76, 77, respectively, when the carriage 20 is in the end position thereof (the right handmost position when viewed in the orientation shown in FIG- URE 1). V

The cam block 80 is adjustably secured to guide support 84 pivotally carried at 84:: by the sewing machine 11 and may be locked at any point therealong by tighten ing clamp bolt 86.

Cam block-81 is provided with an extended shank 87 having an elongated central slot 89. Bracket 91 is secured at its lower end to the bench 10 and carries an angle bracket 93 to be adjustable, in a vertical plane by means of slots 95 and bolts 97. A headed bolt 99 extending through slot 89 secures the shank 87 to the bracket 93,-

to provide for horizontal adjustments of the cam block 81.

The carriage assembly may shift linearly between limit ing positions adjustably defined by the limit blocks 100, 101, which are secured within slot 33 of the gauge bar 32 by headed bolts 102, 163. In the normal or at rest position of the carriage, limit block 100 is biased by the spring motor 30 acting through cable 31 against guide blocks 23. To reach the second limiting position of the carriage, the same is shifted to the left as viewed in FIG- URE 1, until limit block 101 is engaged against guide block 23a. It will be readily recognized that whenv the carriage is shifted from the first to the second limiting position, the spring motor 30 is wound and when the carriage is released, the spring motor shifts the carriage back to the first limiting position, causing the stops or abutments 34 to be shifted transversely of the sewing head;

of the machine 11.

The sewing machine 11 is provided with mechanism arranged to coact with the stops 34 as they shift past the sewing head, temporarily to interrupt the travel of the carriage as the same moves from the second to the first limiting position, and to actuate the machine to perform a stitching operation during the periods when said movement is interrupted. For this purpose, there is fixedly secured to the table 19, a block 135 having a first pawl member 1&5 shiftably secured thereto. A headed bolt 107 is passed through an oversize bearing aperture 188 in pawl and threaded into the nut 157a on the far side of block 165 until annular shoulder 169 (see Fi URE 7) of the bolt abuts the block 195. The shank 110 of bolt 1*137 is of a diameter considerably smaller than the diameter of bearing aperture 163, and is of greater length than the thickness of the pawl 1%. Thus, when the shoulder 1%? of the bolt 137 is tightened against the side of block 1&5, the pawl, in addition to being free to pivot in a vertical plane, is permitted a degree of horizontal or sidewise shiftability (compare the positions of pawl 1-36 in FIGURES 9 and 11).

The block 195 includes an upstanding bracket 111 supporting rearwardly extending stud 112 to which is secured one end of a coil spring 113. The other end of the spring 113 is engaged with a branch arm 114 which extends rearwardly from the pawl N6, the spring tending to pivot the nose 115 of pawl 106 downwardly and laterally away from the side of block 105, as shown in FIGURE 6. The block 165 is tapered at 116 (see FIGURE 9) to provide clearance for the branch 11d. A presser foot connector stud 117 is threaded into the pawl tea at a point rearwardly of the bearing aperture 188 and is locked to the pawl by lock nut 118. The upper end 119 of stud 117 is positioned directly beneath wedge-shaped actuator block 129 (FIGURES 4 and 5), which block depends from laterally offset arm 84 secured in turn to the presser foot 18 of the button feeder device.

A second pawl is secured to the block 195 by bolt 126, the lowered end of which is received in threaded bore 1245a in said blocs after being passed through aperture 127 at the rearniost end of the pawl. A coil spring 128 is pressed at one end by the head 129 of bolt 126, the lower end of said spring bearing against the pawl 125 through washer 139. A threaded stud 131 is secured at its lower end 132 into a threaded aperture 133 formed in block 1G5, said stud passing slidably through an oversize aperture 132:: formed in pawl 125, the stud 131 and aperture 132a serving to prevent shifting of pawl 125 in a horizontal plane.

A lever 135 is pivotally secured on bolt 136 threaded into the front face of block 1G5. One arm 13% of lever 135 is in registry with a recess 139 in the form of a rectangular notch in the ledge portion 134 of the block. An L-shaped bracket 140 is bolted to the pawl 125 in a manner to project depending arm 141 downwardly and into engagement with the upper face of arm 138 of the lever 135. The upper face of opposed arm 137 of the lever 135 is engaged by a threaded adjustment stop 142 depending from the pawl 196.

T he springs 113 and 128 are chosen to provide a condition in which spring 113, acting through pawl 1%, cross lever 135 and bracket 14%, is sutficiently strong to cause pawl 125 to be shifted to the raised position shown in FIGURE 6, notwithstanding the downward biasing influence of spring 128 on said pawl 125.

The pawl 196 includes at its nose 115 a flat side face 145 in one direction, and a cammed side face 146 in the other. Pawl 125 is provided with a bent over nose portion 147 extending in a plane forwardly of the nose 115 of pawl 106, said nose portion 147 similarly including a fiat side face 148 and a cammed side face 149.

The sewing machine 11 is converted to automatic operation by a control system wmch is actuated by the horizontal shifting movement induced in pawl 1% when the latter is contacted by the stop blocks as the carriage 6 shifts from the second to the first limiting position thereof.

An illustrative pneumatic actuator and control system is shown in FIGURE 14. A valve 151 is secured to the bench 19 and is provided with a stem 151 having an extension 151a. A spring 152 normally maintains stem 151 seated in valve seat 153 and normally projects extension 151a into engagement with a side of pawl 106 at a point rearward of fulcrum bolt 197.

The valve 15b is divided into two chambers A and B when the stem is seated. In the seated position of the stern 151, the chamber B is permitted to communicate with the atmosphere by the groove or fiat 154 which spans the bushing or collar 155. The chamber B is sealed to the atmosphere when stem 151 is shifted inwardly, displacing groove 154 from the bushing or collar 155, the solid shank 156 being substituted therefor. Chamber A is connected by line L1 to a source of compressed air, and chamber B is connected to control cylinder C1 fixed to the rear of the sewing machine 11. Line L2 is connected to said cylinder C1 behind operating piston P1 which piston in turn is linked by chain 160 to the clutch lever 151 of the sewing machine.

A switch member SW, provided with a spring loaded follower plunger 162, is afiixcd in proximate relation to the clutch lever 161, with plunger 162 bearing against an upper portion of said lever. The switch SW is arranged to be in open position when plunger 162 is partly extended and to close the circuit between conductors W1 and W2 when the plunger 162 is permitted to extend fully upon depression of the clutch lever 161 from the up position illustrated in FIGURE 14.

A second valve 153 is provided with a stem 164, the position of which is controlled by a solenoid 165, which solenoid is, in turn, actuated by the switch SW. Solenoid is placed in series with a suitable source of power through conductors W1, W2. The stem 16d of valve 163 is normally maintained clear of seat 166 by spring 167, but is shifted into said seat when solenoid is actuated by the closin of the switch SW.

Valve 163 includes chambers X and Y which are separated by the closing of the valve. The valve stem 164 includes a bleed groove 168 normally not straddling collar or bushing 169, said groove being shifted into spanning relation of said bushing 159 to bleed chamber X when the stem 164 is seated by the action of the solenoid 165.

An air source is connected to chamber Y through line L3, chamber X bein connected to presser foot actuator cylinder C2 by line L -i. A piston P2 rides in cylinder C2. and is urged to raised position within said cylinder by spring 176, but with the application of air pressure through lines L3 to L4 through normally open valve 153, the piston shifts to a lowered position, as shown in F1 URE 14. An arm 171 pivotally extends from piston rod 172 and connects to lift bar rocker arm 16b.

In operation, the presser foot 16 normally assumes a raised position by the depressing action of the compressed air against piston P2. When valve 15% is opened by the sidewise motion transmitted to stem 151 by pawl ice, as previously described, air is permitted to flow through line L1 to line L2, depressing piston P1, thereby causing chain 16%) to draw down clutch lever 161 to actuate the sewing machine. The lever 161 is linked to the mechanism of the sewing machine and when once depressed, mechanism of the machine causes it to remain in said depressed posiion until released at the completion of the sewing cycle.

As the lever 161 is depressed, follower plunger 162 is permitted to extend from switch SW, causing solenoid 1%5 to seat valve stem 1614, thereby breaking communication between lines L3 and L4. Seat ng of the stem 154 also has brought bleed groove 168 'mto spanning position of the collar 169, thereby permitting air to flow out of cyl nder C2 through L4 and thence to the a mosphere through the said bleed groove 168. Spring 17%) causes piston P2 to shift to raised position in cylinder C2, rocking the lift bar arm 16b and lowering the lift bar and the pressure foot controlled thereby.

Lowering of the presser foot causes the pawl 106 to release extension 151a in a manner fully to be described hereafter, the valve 150 thus being permitted to return to its normal seated position. In such position, bleed groove 154 spans bushing 155, providing access to the atmosphere through line L2 of air entrapped in cylinder C1 behind piston P1.

When the sewing cycle is completed, clutch lever 161 is shifted by the sewing machine mechanisms to the raised position shown in FIGURE 14, drawing with it chain 161 and causing the piston P1 to rise to the position shown in FIGURE 14, exhausting the trapped air through line L2, as previously described. 7

The raising of clutch lever 161 causes plunger 162 of switch SW to be shifted inwardly, interrupting the flow of current in solenoid 165 and thus permitting stem 164 to be released from seat 166 under the influence of spring 167. Lines L3 and L4 are thus again connected and the piston P2 again depressed in cylinder C2, again raising the presser foot.

The actuator and control actions effected by the above described circuit may be accomplished through the use of other means, including other pneumatic, electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic means.

Powerized means are preferred to effect uninterruptedly coordination of the raising of the pressure foot and ejection of the sewn button from the sewn position, with the shifting of the carriage assembly of the work by the use of the coordinated feeders for buttons in accordance with the illustrated construction under patents for shank button feeders to Troll above described, and Troll Patent No. 2,661,709 for a sew-through button. The feeders of these three patents may be coordinated with the present assembly to provide an ejection of the button when the presser foot has been raised at the end of the sewing cycle.

Adjustment The adjustment and operation of the device for sequence button sewing will now be described, with the actions of the control circuit described only functionally.

First the clamp members 40, 41 are adjusted vertically by securing brackets 42 to 44 and 45 to 47 in a manner to place the platens 60, 61 in co-planar relationship with each other and with the anvil 17 of the sewing machine. Next, the clamps are'adjusted horizontally to space theretainer teeth 64, 65 the desired distance apart, such distance being determined by the size of the garment, the last mentioned adjustment being effected in platen 60 by releasing bolt 50 and adjusting clamp shank 52 to the desired position with respect to bracket 44. Clamp 61 is similarly adjusted with respect to bracket 45 by varying the point of clamping of bolts 53 and brackets 54 against the clamp shank 55. The primary horizontal adjustment of the clamps in the illustrated embodiment,

' in changing from garments of one size 'to another,-will be'understood to take place in clamp 41, since it is necessary to coordinate the position of the followers 76, 77 with cam blocksSG, 81 respectively, and in said embodimerit, block 80 is not provided with a significant range of lateral horizontal adjustment.

When clamps 40, 41 are properly adjusted to suit the garment being sewn (a shirt is illustrated in FIGURE 1), the carriage is shifted to its right handmost position (previously described as the first limiting position). This position is secured by adjusting the limit block 10! along a guide bar 32 by loosening and retightening nut 102, so

as to align follower roller 76 with cam block 80 so that at the proper adjusted position of block 101), the roller o o the'block engages and holds open the clamp jaw 67 while the carriage remains in the first limiting position, after which nut 99 may be retightened.

Abutments or stops 34 are next secured to the gauge bar 32 in accordance with the number of desired spacings of the buttons to be sewn.

This adjustment is most conveniently performed by supporting the buttonholed edge of the garment in distended condition between clamps 40 and 41, by shifting the carriage away from the first limiting position and toward the second limiting position thereof, and thereby freeing rollers 76, 77 from cam blocks 80 and 81, respectivel to release the clamps. Care should be taken to position the lower edge or hem of the garment against stop 79. V

The carriage with the garment thus positioned is shifted to bring the center of the buttonholes, one at a time, into alignment with the needle 18 of the sewing machine. At

each such aligned position, an abutment or stop 34 is adjusted along gauge bar 32, to have its leading side (the right hand side as seen in FIGURE 1) in precise alignment with the flat face 143 of the nose portion 147 of pawl 125. Adjustment of the machine is completed by securing limit block 161 to gauge bar 32 in trailing position (to the right as viewed in FIGURE 1) of the last (right handmost) abutment or stop 34.

Operation The garment is placed in distended condition between the platens 60, 61, with the lower hem carefully oriented against stop '79 and the side edge to be operated on even with the rear edge of the platens. The carriage 20 is next slid from the first limiting position as defined by the engagement of stop block 1% against guide blocks 23, to the second limiting position defined by the engagement of stop block 101 with guide block 23a.

' The follower rollers 76 and 77 are released from cam blocks 89, 31 during the initial parts of such movement and clamp arms 66, 67, under the influence of springs 79, 71, hold the garment against the platens 60, 61. As seen in FIGURE 13, the tooth portion 65 is optionally but preferably provided with a recess 65a serving, in the to pawl through cross lever acting against arm 141 of bracket has been eliminated by the raising of nose 115. The descent of pawl 125 does not interfere with the movement of the carriage from the first to the second limiting position, since pawl 125 will, by reason of its being laterally offset at the nose end from 'pawl 166, strike the top of the abutments 34, as shown in FIGURE, 12, and will freely ride over said abutments.

When the carriage 29 is released at the second limiting position, it is returned toward the first position by the spring motor 30.

In the course of such return movement, each stop 34 in turn engages the fiat side 145 of'pawl 10.6 which initially lies in the path of movement of the stops 34 (see FIGURES 8 and 9). As an initial consequence of such engagement, 'pawl 106 is pivoted horizontally about the loose fitting bolt 107 as a fulcrum and the trailing end of the pawl contacts and depresses extension 151a of the stem 151 of valve 195. As previously described, the clutch of the sewing machine is engaged by apparatus actuated by the opening of the valve 159, and the presser foot 16 is lowered into-contact with the ing the same against anvil 17.

As the presser foot 16 is lowered, wedge or block 120 garment, clampv carried by arm 84 extending from the presser foot, contacts stud 119 carried by pawl 196, and pivots the same vertically about bolt 1E7, raising the nose 115 of pawl 1G6 out of the path of the stops 34 (compare FIGURES 4 and 8 with FIGURES and 10).

As nose of pawl 1&6 is raised, the lifting pressure applied to pawl through the contact of arm 133 of cross lever with bracket arm 141 is relieved, and the spring 128 forces the pawl 125 temporarily into the path or" the blocks 34.

The carriage 26 is thus prevented by pawl 125 from movement toward the first limiting position until the presser foot again raises, i.e., at the completion of the sewing cycle. With the raising of presser foot 15, nose 115 of pawl 106 is again depressed by spring 113 raising arm 138 of cross lever 135 and thus lifting pawl 125 out of the path of the stops.

it should be noted that when pawl 106 is lifted clear of the path of stops 34 by the descending action of the presser foot 16 against stud 119, spring 113 pivots the pawl 1% horizontally about stud 197 as a fulcrum and thus shifts nose 115 to a position directly above the stop 3-"; which contacted pawl 1 36 to initiate the sewing cycle (see FIGURES 10 and 11). Thus, when pawl 125 is raised clear of the path of a stop previously engaging said pawl, nose 115 of pawl 106 is lowered behind the previously engaged stop 34 and the carriage is permitted to shift under the influence of spring motor 39 until a subsequent stop 34 engages nose 115, pawl 11% again starting a sewing cycle.

Thus, pawls 1G6 and 125 engage each stop 34 in turn as the carriage 26 returns from the second to the first limi ing position thereof, each such engagement being effective to interrupt motion of the carriage, effecting the sewing of a button to the garment at a position on the garment which is a function of the location of the stop, and subsequently to release the carriage.

Pawl 106 is thus normally projected into the path of the stops and acts on contact to start a sewing cycle. At the start of the cycle, pawl 125 is shifted into said path, and serves to hold the stop, and pawl 106 shifts out of the path of the stops to a position above the stop being held by pawl 125. At the completion of the sewing cycle, pawl 125 is raised out of the path of the stops and pawl 166 returns to its normal position in said path, but behind the stop previously held by pawl 125, thus releasing the stop.

After the release of the last pawl 34a, the carriage returns to the first limiting position defined by the engagement of limit block 109 against guide blocks 23, 23, at which position cam levers 66, 67 will be pivoted downwardly by the contact of followers 76, 77 with blocks St 81, respectively (see FIGURE 13).

This action serves to release the garment, which falls clear under the influence of gravity. The clamps of the device are thus left open and ready to receive the next garment.

The present device is optionally but preferably employed in connection with a button feeder which, as in the illustrated embodiment, positively ejects the sewn button from the presser foot of the feeder.

As shown in FIGURE 15, the presser foot 16 includes spaced spring fingers 213i), 281, which form a continuation of button guideway 21 2, said fingers serving clampingly to hold the heads of the buttons against the inner face 2&3 of the guideway 2t 2. A pawl 204 is pivotally secured at 2535 to a bracket 2&6 depending from the head 12 of the sewing machine. A tension spring 207 is secured at one end 268 to the sewing machine head and at the other end 299 to arm 21% of the pawl 2194.

A carn face 211 is cut in the pawl 2194 and spring 207 biases the pawl about pivot 285' to shift cam face 211 against follower roller 212 secured to the presser foot 16.

As the presser foot rises on completion of a sewing operation, roller 212 carried with the presser foot rides over cam face 211 causing pawl 294 to shift about pivot- 285 in a clockwise direction when viewed as in FIGURE 15. Finger 213 of pawl 204 enters behind the shank of button B, and with continued clockwise movement of said pawl, advances button B to a position beneath the needle 13 and ejects sewn button B from its position beneath fingers 2th), 201. The operation of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 15 is more fully described in the prior mentioned patent to Troll, No. 2,830,549.

it will be readily recognized that the gauging and positioning device may be adapted for use with a non-ejecting button feeder by aligning the end of the button chute in the direction of movement of the carriage 20. In such case, upon release of the presser foot, the spring urged carriage will draw the sewn button free of the presser foot clamps.

While in most instances an arrangement whereby the sewn button is pulled by the carriage from the presser foot is satisfactory, problems occur where delicate, readily distended or distorted materials are to be used. Such problems are occasioned by the fact that the button releasing stresses of the carriage must be exercised through the garment to be sewn, and may stretch the garment permanently or may distort the garment so that subsequently sewn buttons are improperly positioned. Also where heavier spring clamp fingers are employed on the presser foot, a heavier spring motor 30 may be required, resulting in a device which is more tiring in use. Accordingly, a button ejecting feeder is preferred.

It will be readily recognized that the use of the above described device will result in great savings of labor as compared with the use of stitching devices wherein the work must be manually adjusted and positioned for each stitching operation. Moreover, it is assured that the various stitchings will be accurately aligned in a row, due to the linear movement of the carriage.

The novel clamping arrangement which coordinates the closing of the clamps with the shifting of the carriage similarly increases production, as does the automatic release feature whereby the stitched garment is automatically released from the device and the clamps left open for receiving the next garment.

While the gauging and feeding apparatus has been described in conjunction with a button sewing and feeding device, it will be appreciated that other devices, including but not limited to buttonhole formers, staplers, snap fastener appliers, may be employed. Accordingly, the claims herein should be interpreted as directed broadly to any device used in conjunction with the gauging and feeding apparatus therein defined and not limited to the specific apparatus therein noted for exemplification. Also, while the carriage in the instant case is illustrated as shifting to the right during the sittching cycle, it will be readily recognized that a reverse or left hand shifting carriage may be constructed. The number of stops or abutments is not critical, and any number of these members may be used, provided suli'lcient clearance between the stops is allowed.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A work feeder and gauge for use in conjunction with a stitching device or the like, comprising a carriage shiftable between first and second limiting positions,

' means associated with said carriage for shifting the latter from said second to said first limiting position, a plurality of stops on said carriage, means on said carriage for securing a garment or the like thereto, a first pawl member, means mounting said first pawl for limited movement in the direction of the path of movement of said stops and having a portion projected into the path of movement of said stops when said carriage shifts from said second to said first limiting pocition, said pawl also being movable to a position clear of said path, yieldable means associated with said pawl for resisting and cush- 1 1 ioning movement of said pawl in the direction of said path, means associated with said pawl for initiating a stitching cycle responsive to movement of said projected portion of said pawl in the direction of said path, a second shiftable pawl member, means normally positioning said second pawl clear of said path, and means responv sive to the initiation of a sewing cycle for shifting said second pawl into said path for the duration of said sewing cycle and for shifting said first pawl clear of said path for said duration.

- 2. A work feeder and gauge for use in conjunction with a stitching device or the like, comprising a carriage shiftable horizontally between a first and a second limiting position, means associated with said carriage for shifting the latter from said second to said first position, a plurality of stops on said carriage, means on said carriage for securing a garment thereto, a first pawl member, means mounting said first pawl for limited movement in the direction ofthe path of movement of said stops and having a portion normally projected into the path of movement of said stops when said carriage shifts from said second to said first position, said pawl also being movable to a position clear of said path, yieldable means associated with said pawl for resisting and cushioning movement of said pawl in the direction of said path, means associated with said pawl for initiating a stitching cycle of said apparatus responsive to horizontal movement of said portion of said pawl in the direction of said path, a second, vertically shiftable pawl member, means normally positioning said second pawl clear of said path and means responsive to the initial movements of said apparatus in the performance of a stitching cycle for shifting said pawls Vertically to shift said first pawl clear of said path, and simultaneously shift said second pawl into said path.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for initiating a stitching cycle comprises a pressurized valve and said yieldable means comprises a movable stem of said valve.

4. For use in combination with a stitching apparatus having a shiftable presser foot for clamping the work at the start of a stitching operation, a work gauge and feeder attachment for sequentially initiating stitching operations in predetermined spaced relation along the Work comprising a support base mounted adjacent said apparatus, a carriage slidably carried by said base to be shiftable relative to said apparatus between first and second limiting positions, spaced gripper means on said carriage arranged to support a garment in distended condition therebetween, motor means associated with said carriage for shifting the latter from said second to said first limiting position, spaced abutment stops secured to said carriage and spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the desired spacing of said stitching operations, first and second pivotal pawl members, said first pawl being shiftable in horizontal and vertical planes of movement and being normally projected into the path of movement of said abutment stops as said carriage moves from said second to said first limiting position, and said second pawl being normally clear of said path, said first pawl being shifted horizontally to a stop position upon engagement of said pawl with one of said abutment means, means for actuating said apparatus to perform a sewing cycle responsive to said horizontal movement of said first pawl, link means operatively associated with said pawls and arranged to shift said second pawl into said path in leading position with respect to said abutment stop, and to shift said first pawl out of said path responsive to the downward movement of said presser foot.

, 5. A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said link means is adapted, upon raising of said presser foot, to remove said second pawl from said path and to return said first pawl into said path in trailing position with respect to said abutment stop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Pfaif: German application 1,086,980, printed Aug. 11, 1960 (K1. 52 a 46/02). 

1. A WORK FEEDER AND GAUGE FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A STITCHING DEVICE OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING A CARRIAGE SHIFTABLE BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND LIMITING POSITIONS, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CARRIAGE FOR SHIFTING THE LATTTER FROM SAID SECOND TO SAID FIRST LIMITING POSITION, A PLURALITY OF STOPS ON SAID CARRIAGE, MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR SECURING A GARMENT OR THE LIKE THERETO, A FIRST PAWL MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID FIRST PAWL FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID STOPS AND HAVING A PORTION PROJECTED INTO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID STOPS WHEN SAID CARRIAGE SHIFTS FROM SAID SECOND TO SAID FIRST LIMITING POCITION, SAID PAWL ALSO BEING MOVABLE TO A POSITION CLEAR OF SAID PATH, YIELDABLE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PAWL FOR RESISTING AND CUSHIONING MOVEMENT OF SAID PAWL IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PATH, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PAWL FOR INITIATING A STITCHING CYCLE RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID PROJECTED PORTION OF SAID PAWL IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PATH, A SECOND SHIFTABLE PAWL MEMBER, MEANS NORMALLY POSITIONING SAID SECOND PAWL CLEAR OF SAID PATH, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE INITIATION OF A SEWING CYCLE FOR SHIFTING SAID SECOND PAWL INTO SAID PATH FOR THE DURATIN OF SAID SEWING CYCLE AND FOR SHIFTING SAID FIRST PAWL CLEAR OF SAID PATH FOR SAID DURATION. 